(TL;DR) A full facelift at McKeown Medical is a comprehensive plan that combines surgical and non-surgical procedures to rejuvenate the entire face and neck rather than treating one area in isolation. The surgical foundation is a deep plane face and neck lift performed by Mr Russell Bramhall, often combined with eyelid surgery, laser resurfacing, and volume restoration where appropriate. Surgery is performed under local anaesthetic with deep sedation, takes six to seven hours, and most patients are camera-ready by around six months. Pricing starts from £25,750.
The full facelift in Glasgow patients hear about is not a single procedure. At McKeown Medical, the term describes a comprehensive approach to rejuvenating the entire face and neck, combining surgical and non-surgical techniques to address every layer of facial ageing in one structured plan. It is a concept that has evolved as understanding of how the face ages has deepened, and it reflects the reality that no single operation can restore a face that has changed at the level of bone, fat, soft tissue, and skin all at once. For patients in Scotland weighing up their options, understanding what a full facelift actually involves is the first step in deciding whether it is the right route.
Why a Single Procedure Is Rarely Enough
Facial ageing happens on multiple levels simultaneously. The bones of the face gradually resorb, reducing the structural framework that supports the soft tissues above. The deep fat pads of the midface deflate and shift. The skin loses elasticity, develops pigmentation changes, and shows fine lines that no amount of lifting will smooth. Ligaments weaken and tissue settles, creating jowls, neck laxity, and a heavy appearance around the eyes.
A traditional facelift, technically known as a rhytidectomy, involves incisions around the ears and is highly effective at removing excess skin from the jowls and neck. It does not, however, address the upper face, eyelids, skin quality, or many of the deeper lines around the mouth. This is why a full facelift, as practised at McKeown Medical, brings additional procedures into the plan to focus on those other regions. The result is a more balanced rejuvenation, where one area does not look conspicuously younger than another.
The Surgical Foundation
The core surgical procedure within a full facelift at McKeown Medical is the deep plane face and neck lift, performed by Mr Russell Bramhall, the clinic’s resident plastic surgeon and a Full Member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. The deep plane technique elevates and repositions the deeper tissues of the face rather than relying on tension in the skin to create a lift. This is significant because tension-based techniques can look stretched as time passes, whereas a properly executed deep plane lift settles into a result that continues to look natural for years.
The surgery typically takes between six and seven hours, depending on whether eyelid surgery is incorporated. It is performed using local anaesthetic with deep sedation rather than general anaesthetic, which allows for a faster recovery and avoids the additional risks associated with general anaesthesia. Patients are not awake during the procedure but recover much more quickly than they would otherwise.
What May Be Combined With the Lift
Within a full facelift plan, several additional procedures may be incorporated where appropriate. The decision is always based on individual anatomy and the specific concerns the patient wants addressed. Common combinations include:
- Upper eyelid surgery, known as blepharoplasty, to address heavy or hooded upper lids
- Lower eyelid surgery, where under-eye bags or laxity require correction
- Liposuction under the chin, where excess fat in the submental area contributes to a heavy neckline
- Laser skin resurfacing, including HALO and BBL, to address pigmentation, texture, and skin quality
- Volume restoration with dermal filler, to replace lost facial volume that surgery alone cannot address
- Wrinkle-relaxing injections, to soften dynamic lines in the upper face
Each of these is treated as a considered addition rather than a default add-on. The aim is always the smallest combination of procedures that achieves a natural, harmonious result.
Recovery and Realistic Timelines
Recovery after a full facelift for Glasgow patients follows a predictable arc, though the exact timeline varies by individual. Swelling and bruising peak around day three or four, then begin to subside. Most patients feel comfortable returning to light daily activity after two to three weeks, though strenuous exercise and heavy lifting should be avoided for at least four to six weeks. By around the one-month mark, most patients feel confident attending social events, particularly with hair down and light makeup to conceal any residual signs.
The results continue to refine over time. By six months, most patients are camera-ready, and the final settled outcome is typically visible at around twelve months. Scars positioned around the ears fade considerably during this period, and proper aftercare, including avoiding sun exposure for the first six weeks and not smoking or vaping for at least two months, plays a significant role in how cleanly they heal.
Risks Worth Understanding
A full facelift, like any surgery, carries some risk. The complications surgeons watch most carefully for include nerve injury, fluid collection beneath the skin, and infection. In experienced hands, permanent nerve injury is rare. Temporary weakness from swelling around the nerves can occur during recovery and almost always resolves. Fluid collections are usually straightforward to drain and do not cause long-term issues. Infections are minimised through prophylactic antibiotics and antibiotic ointment applied to the scars during the early healing window.
A thorough consultation is the most important risk-reduction step. Honest assessment, careful planning, and clear aftercare instructions are how complications are kept rare and recoveries kept smooth.
Who a Full Facelift Suits
A full facelift is generally most appropriate for patients who feel that several areas of the face have aged in combination and that non-surgical treatments are no longer producing meaningful or lasting improvement. Concerns such as jowling, neck laxity, heavy eyelids, and a more general sense of facial tiredness often appear together, and treating them together produces a more coherent result than addressing each in isolation over many years.
Age itself is less important than overall health, skin quality, and realistic expectations. Many patients have a facelift in their fifties or sixties, but excellent results are still achievable into the seventies and beyond when the patient is medically fit for surgery. The clinic’s full pre-operative assessment is designed to identify whether surgery is the right choice and, if so, which combination of procedures will produce the most balanced outcome.
What the Glasgow Setting Means in Practice
McKeown Medical operates from 167 Bath Street in Glasgow, and surgical care is delivered by Mr Russell Bramhall alongside the wider medical team led by Dr Darren McKeown. The clinic is a single-location practice, which means continuity of care from consultation through surgery and into the aftercare period. This matters more than it sounds. A facelift is not a one-day event. It is a year-long process during which the patient is seen multiple times, swelling is monitored, scars are assessed, and small adjustments to the wider plan, including skin treatments and any volume restoration, may be added at the right intervals.
Pricing for the full facelift starts from £25,750, reflecting the combined nature of the procedures involved. As with every treatment at McKeown Medical, the precise plan and cost are tailored to the individual after a detailed consultation, which is always the place to begin for any patient considering this route.
